EPILEPSY WITH MYOCLONIC ABSENCES

Mandatory seizures

Myoclonic absence seizures are the defining seizure for this syndrome. These occur many times a day, are resistant to treatment and are the only seizure seen in a third of cases.

May have

• Generalized tonic-clonic and atonic seizures are seen in more than half of patients after onset of myoclonic absences, and may indicate an unfavorable prognosis.
• Absence seizures without myoclonic jerks are uncommon (4% of cases) and infrequent, as is absence status epilepticus.
• Atypical absence seizures

Exclusionary

Focal seizures are not seen.